Welcome to Mutant X
by Catefaerie
Summary: Updated and extended! A new mutant shows that no matter what happens, friendship is a bond more powerful that anything Eckhardt can throw at them.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Anyone who has read this before will notice differences. That is because I read it again and realised I could do better, so I updated. Although the updated date is in July 2004, well after the end of the 3rd series it is set before the end of the 2nd series. I have a second story in the works which is going to be set after the 3rd series. Confused yet?

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own Adam, Jesse, Emma, Brennan, Shalimar, Eckhart, Genomex or the Sanctuary. All others are from my imaginations.   
"Spoken"  
'Thought'  
_Telepathically_

**Chapter 1**

"Josh, move it!" A 19-year-old girl stumbled up a hill, closely followed by a boy. Sirens sounded behind them, emitting from a large modern building. The two continued to run, while five adults chased them. On the other side of the hill was a main road. The girl held up a hand, signalling for a taxi to stop. The two jumped in the taxi sped off.   
"Jesus Andi, I didn't realise they would discover you were missing so soon." Josh relaxed into his seat.   
"I don't think we're safe just yet." Andi replied. Suddenly the car jolted to a stop. "Everybody out!" Andi yelled, before rolling out onto the road.   
Josh and the driver escaped the car before it was lifted off the ground and sent smashing into an on-coming truck.   
Josh scrambled on hands & knees to where Andi was lying, "Andi? Andi, are you all right?"  
"I'm fine." She stood up, "I'm okay. Fine, they want to play, let's play."  
"What are you going to do?"  
"I'm going to lead them off the road. They want me, they can come get me. But I'm not going to let them hurt innocent people in the process," she leant over and held out a hand to Josh, "Go find help. Find the mutants they were talking about; the rogue mutants, Mutant X."  
She jumped up, ran back towards the hill and began to climb up. Suddenly she was at the top, with the facility on one side and the five workers on the other. She began to run along the top.   
'I can out-run them. I can get to the town before they catch me. Come on, keep going.' She willed herself to keep running. Suddenly the hill stopped & it wasn't a hill anymore, but a cliff edge, "Damn!" She skidded to a halt, her shoes scuffling some stones over the edge. She leant over carefully, contemplating her escape routes.  
She knew she couldn't use any powers; he had ways of tracking power usage. Even if she teleported, he'd find her. She looked around, maybe just one teleport; to get her to the bottom of the cliff.  
"Give up & come quietly." A voice said behind her.  
She smiled grimly, "You should know by now, that I rarely do anything quietly." She turned to face her pursuers. "You want me to come quietly; you'll have to sedate me again."  
The leader smiled, "That can be arranged." He nodded to another, who lunged at Andi.  
She blocked both punches and kicked the attacker square in the chest; throwing him far back. She ducked as another tried to kick her, and swept them off their feet with her leg. Spinning around, she punched one more in the face. Suddenly she felt a prick in the back of her neck. Staggering she faced the leader, who was holding a needle. She staggered backwards, and noticed a man grab another and punch him. She heard someone shout, "Jesse!" and noticed a blonde girl watching her, before collapsed into darkness.

* * *

Shalimar and Brennan were the first over hill, coming up in front of the girl. Seconds later Emma and Jesse appeared over the cliff edge. They grabbed two Genomex guards and easily tossed them.  
Shalimar saw one of the attackers slide a needle out of the girls neck, and the girl staggered backwards. "Jesse!" She yelled as the girl's eyes locked with hers, and Jesse caught the girl in his arms as she fell. "Get her out of here." Shalimar told him before catching a guard with a blow to the cheek.

* * *

Andi's eyes fluttered open, and she tried to get her bearings. She was lying on some sort of hospital bed, in a room full of machines. Fear rose in her body as she thought of the facility. But when she sprang up she found she wasn't tied to the bed.   
A gentle, but firm hand pushed her back down, "Sshh! It's all right, we won't hurt you." She looked up into a kind face. The man was in his mid-forties, with brown hair and friendly brown eyes.   
"Where am I?" she croaked.   
"You're safe. This is the sanctuary." He replied.   
"I was at a cliff edge…" she searched her memory, "The doctor… he stuck a needle into me… and then there was a girl… she said something… and then… black."   
She flinched as she felt a prick, as though she was back on the cliff top. Her head spun to face a young, blonde man sliding a needle out of the inside of her elbow. "Don't worry," he said, "It's just to flush the sedative out of your system."  
"Who are you people? Why did you help me?" she asked.   
"My name is Adam Kane." The older man told her, "This is Jesse Kilmartin. We are known as Mutant X."  
She sat up and rubbed her arm, "I've heard about you. I sent Josh to find you, when I ran up the hill. But I was led to believe there were more of you."  
"There is." Adam told her, "We have three more members, but you will meet them later. Right now you need some rest." He turned to leave.   
"Wait!" she cried, "My friend, Josh. He was sent to find you. He-"  
"Is fine." Adam interrupted her, "There other three brought him in with them after they had fought off your attackers. Now rest."  
Andi watched him leave, and turned her head towards the other man. He stood beside her, studying a monitor. "Do you not fight?" she asked him.  
He smiled, "I normally do. But I guess I was the guy who got to save the girl this time. I caught you before you collapsed and brought you here."  
"My knight in shining armour, then?" Andi asked.  
"I guess so…" Jesse smiled, his cheeks turning a slightly darker shade of red.   
"Thanks, I guess." she replied.   
"It's okay." He turned away, "Adam is right, you should get some sleep."  
Andi watched his back thoughtfully for a moment and then lay down onto her side, her eyelids slipping shut.

* * *

Andi woke with a start, pushing herself up with her elbow and looked around herself, trying to recall where she was. But she found she'd been moved again. This time she was in a double bed, in a small bedroom. Stretching she sat up and looked at herself in the mirror. 'Ugh.' she thought. Looking to her left she noticed a small bathroom and, climbing out of the bed, she padded into it. She threw cold water around her face and looked up at her reflection; it hadn't really made much of a difference, but it had washed off the smudged make-up at least.  
There was a quiet knock at the door and Andi looked out to see a petite red-head walk in.  
"Hey," the woman said, "I brought you a change of clothes. Just thought you might want them."  
"Thanks." Andi replied.  
The woman set the clothes on the bed and turned back to Andi. "Emma DeLauro." she said.   
"Andrea Walken, but you can call me Andi." Andi replied. They stood for a moment in awkward silence.  
"Look, don't worry about us. We won't hurt you." Emma said.  
Andi nodded, "Yeah… yeah, I know. So… what powers do you have?"   
Emma smiled, "I'm a telempath."  
"A telempath? What's a telempath" Nicci asked.   
"I can read people's emotions." Emma explained.   
"Oh… I'm a telepath, telekinetic, and a teleportal. Kinda three rolled into one." Andi told her.   
"So, you can read people's minds, move stuff about _and _jump from place to place? God, I thought I had a lot with just one power." Emma said, shocked.   
Andi smiled, "It's sort of like a package deal."  
Emma laughed, "All right, look I'll leave and let you get changed. Come down if you're hungry."  
"Thanks." Andi replied and began to change.

* * *

"Okay, so you've met Adam; he's working on the computer at the moment." Emma sat at the breakfast bar, introducing everyone, "You've already met Jesse…" Jesse smiled and nodded at her, "This is Shalimar Fox."   
"Hey," the blonde said, "You can call me Shal."   
Emma continued, "And this is Brennan Mulwray…"   
"Hi." the tall brunette waved a hand.   
"So what powers do you all have?" Andi asked.   
"Well, I can change the my body density… sort of," Jesse said, "Brennan can, well putting it bluntly, shoot electricity out his fingers, and Shal is a feral."  
"You're a feral?" she asked Shalimar, "We had a feral at the facility. She had amazing strength and speed."   
Shalimar smiled, "Well, then maybe we should have a training session and you can see if I'm quicker or stronger."   
Andi smiled, "Great."  
"Andi, you're awake." Josh walked through the sliding doors.   
"Yeah, and safe thanks to you." Andi got up and hugged him, "Thank you." The four mutants looked at her puzzled. Andi grinned, "I didn't mean that he saved me. Josh was the one who broke me out in the first place."   
"Okay..." Jesse said, "Well, Josh can you use computers?"   
Josh frowned, "A little, but I can learn fast. Why?"  
"Because, I'll let you stay if you're useful." Adam said, walking up behind them, "and I'm thinking you both will be. Welcome to Mutant X. You're going to need these."  
Andi caught the small object and examined it. It was a plain silver ring. She frowned and looked up at Adam enquiringly.  
"Put it on." Brennan said, cocking his head up.  
She slid it on her finger and stared in amazement as the ring glowed and took on gold symbols.   
"They're com-links. We use them to contact each other." Jesse explained, "Only you can hear when someone talks to you and when you take it off…" he leaned over and slid the ring off her finger. The inscriptions disappeared, "No-one will be able to figure out what it is."   
"Now that… is cool." Josh said, sliding his own on.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Yes, I did change her name. Her name is now Andi. The reason I changed it is because I remembered Shal had a friend who tried to kill her to become the dominant feral in Mutant X called Nicci.

* * *

**Chapter 2**

"Oh come on!" Shalimar pulled Andi to her feet, "I know you can do better than that!"   
Andi shook herself, "Sorry, I can't seem to concentrate."  
Shalimar sighed, "Fine, take a break." Shalimar walked over to a bench, lifted a towel and dried herself off.   
Andi lifted her water bottle and took a long drink. "Sorry." she murmured.   
Shalimar shook her head, "Its okay. We'll get some lunch and then do some more. It's not as if we have any hurry."  
Andi smiled, "You're probably gonna' regret saying that in a minute."  
"Yeah, probably. But I need food, so any emergency can wait."  
Andi laughed and led the way out towards the kitchen.  
"Do you smell that?" Shalimar stopped and sniffed the air.   
Andi sniffed and smelt burning. They looked at each other and sprinted towards the kitchen. What they saw made them bend double with laughter. Brennan was frantically trying to turn off cooker buttons and Jesse was trying to wipe soup off his shirt.  
Brennan looked up and saw them, "It's not funny! Stop laughing and help us!"  
Shalimar walked over and switched off the cooker and began to clean up the spills.  
Andi took the cloth off Jesse and tried to wipe the stain off his shirt. "Nope, it's no good," she said, "You'll have to give it to me, and I'll wash it with my stuff." Jesse began to unbutton his shirt. "Whoa!" she exclaimed, "Get a room!" Jesse gave her a withering look and walked off to his room.  
"What on earth possessed you to cook?" Shalimar was asking Brennan.  
He smiled sheepishly, "I was just trying to get some food."  
"Yeah, but how did you managed to get the soup to jump out of the pot onto your shirt."  
"With great skill. It started to bubble… violently."   
"You're not kidding…" Shalimar sighed, "Go and get changed. We'll make lunch." Brennan slunk off to his room and Shalimar began to clean up.   
"Hey Shal, come here and see this." Andi beckoned her over.   
"Well, I'll be damned." They looked through the window at Emma and Josh. They were sitting on the sofa, her head on his chest and his arm around her shoulders. He leaned over and kissed her.  
Shalimar pulled her away from the window, "Come on, let's leave them in peace."  
Andi took a salad and a few packets out of the refrigerator. Setting them on the dining table, she commented, "Two months we've been here and he's already won her over. He works fast."  
"What do you mean 'works'?" Shalimar's head shot up from over the cutting board.   
"Oh I don't mean he's a player or anything. But he told me on one of our first nights here that he liked her. And he's dating her already, you know?" Andi replied hastily.   
Shalimar visibly relaxed.   
"Trust me," Andi added, "If he tried to hurt here or any of you, I'd kill him. That applies for if anyone tries to hurt him."

* * *

"Okay, so where is everyone?" Andi pulled on her jacket at the front door.   
Jesse shrugged, "They said they didn't want to come. Shal and Brennan are doing some sparing in the dojo, and Emma and Josh just wanted to stay alone."   
"Fine, then it's just me and you." Andi grabbed his hand, "C'mon."

* * *

"These movies look pretty crap. I don't think I want to see any of them." Andi stood looking at the posters for the featured movies.   
Jesse pulled up his collar, "Well, I know a great coffee place just round the corner. We could just go there for a while."   
Andi nodded and they set off.  
Soon they were sitting at a table, with a guitarist playing behind them. "Ah, one black coffee and…" Jesse looked at Andi expectantly.   
Andi looked round from the guitarist, "Oh sorry, um… can I get a hot chocolate? With the little marshmallow things?"  
When the waitress had left, Jesse raised an eyebrow, "Hot chocolate?"   
"I always drink hot chocolate, instead of coffee or tea. It's something I developed from my childhood."  
Jesse shifted in his seat, "So… Adam mentioned something about your not being a product of Genomex. What's the deal with that?"  
"And here's me thinking it was a mutant-free night. No it's okay, I'm kidding." Andi took a deep breath and began, "My parents were both Genomex mutants. That's why I have the three-in-one deal. They escaped from Genomex together and changed their names. They married and had two children; me and my younger sister. I had mutant powers, Lizzy didn't."  
"What happened? I mean, how did you end up in Genomex?"  
"I lived a pretty normal life… well as normal as you could be with mutant abilities. My abilities developed quite early on; when I was about six or seven years old. When I was nine, I was in a school play. My parents came to see it, and left five-year-old Lizzy with my Grandmother. On our way home, my mother kept turning round and looking out the back window and my father kept looking in his rear-view mirror. He pulled into a lay-by, and lifted me out of the car. He hid me in the grass and said, 'Stay here. If we don't come back in ten minutes, you climb down this hill and get to your Grandmother's house.' They drove off."  
"He just left you?"  
"That's not the end. I looked out over the top of the hill and watched the car speed off. Suddenly another car screeched out of nowhere, and sped after my parent's car. There were loud bangs, like gun shots and my parents car blew up."  
"They killed your parents? Genomex killed your parents."  
Andi nodded and sipped her chocolate, "I think so. Someone did anyway. They died in the explosion. I didn't do as my father said and I climbed up onto the motorway. But I just stood there; I was in shock. Even at nine, I knew what that burning wreck meant; my parent's were dead. Suddenly someone grabbed me and next thing I know, I was in some laboratory. They didn't get my sister. Either they didn't want her, or my Grandmother had managed to get her out of the house."  
"You spent 10 years in Genomex?"  
"No, when I was 15 I managed to escape. I got as far as Boston, and spent two years there before they caught up with me. Then Josh broke me out and the rest, you know."  
"Yeah, can you clear something up for me? Josh is barely twenty years old. How did he break you out?"  
"He worked in Genomex or something."  
"But I trust him," she added, seeing Jesse's expression, "I wouldn't put any of Mutant X in danger."  
They talked about Jesse's life and situation until Jesse drank down the last dregs of his coffee and said, "Okay, we'd better head; it looks like it's gonna' rain." They paid up and began their walk home. Suddenly thunder rolled overhead and lightning flashed in the distance.   
"Uh-oh…" Andi murmured, seconds before the rain began. Jesse grabbed hold of her hand and began to run.

* * *

Jesse laughed as they ran through the doorway into the sanctuary, "I'm soaked right though!" He pulled off his coat.  
Andi hung her jacket up, saying, "I don't see why you didn't just let me teleport us home."  
"Because it's more fun this way."  
Andi turned to face him, and saw a drop of water land on his nose from a lock off his hair. "Oh yeah, I can see the fun in getting this wet?" she asked, playfully tugging the lock.   
"Yeah well, you not so dry yourself, you know." Jesse motioned to her hair.   
Andi ran her fingers through her hair, slicking it back, "There, all better."   
Jesse smiled mischievously and shook his hair. Water flew everywhere.   
"Thanks!" Andi exclaimed, her face covered in water.  
Jesse stepped closer to her and wiped some water off her face. He left his hand rest on her cheek, and he leaned closer…  
"There you guys are! We wondered if you would make it back before the rain," Brennan stood in the doorway, "I see you didn't."   
Andi stepped backwards, "I… um… I'm gonna' go for a shower." She ran down the hall towards her room.  
Jesse rolled his eyes and punched Brennan on the arm. "Thanks Brennan." he said sarcastically.   
"What? What did I do?"

* * *

Andi thought about Jesse as she towelled her hair dry. He was sweet and funny and cute and everything she looked for in a man. Chills ran up her spine as she thought about their 'moment' in the hallway. She could still feel his warm breath on her skin. She shook herself and told herself to stop it. She couldn't risk something like that. She stood up and walked out to the kitchen, where Shalimar was standing, bent over the counter.   
"Hey Shal." Andi stood beside her. When Shalimar didn't answer, Andi followed her gaze to where Josh and Emma sat cuddling. "Cute couple, don't you think?" Andi commented.  
Shalimar came out of her daze, "What? Oh yeah, cute." Nicci watched her gaze shifted to where Brennan and Jesse were struggling for the TV controls. "You should tell him." she murmured.  
Shalimar shook her head, "What? I don't know what your talking about… have you been reading my mind?" she asked, her eyes flashing angrily.  
"No," Andi backed away holding her hands up in submission, "Rule number one; do not use powers on other members of team. You taught me that. This has to do with being a woman. It's been obvious to me since I joined that you like Brennan. It's been obvious to Emma for two years. And Brennan likes you back. He's just… well, not too shy because we know Brennan is never shy around women, but… he knows you to well. He doesn't want to hurt you, I suppose. But I think you should tell him."  
Shalimar looked at her awkwardly, unsure of what to say. She looked back at Brennan, who Jesse had got into a head-lock, with Emma and Josh watching laughing. Shalimar turned back to Andi and smiled her trademark smirk, "Well, what about you and Jesse?"  
"What?" Andi asked, surprised.   
"Oh come on. It's so obvious you guys like each other. He watches you all the time; you should see the way he does it. I saw you guys in the hallway this evening. If you don't believe me ask Emma. Now I'm gonna' separate them to before someone gets really hurt."  
"Ah, Shal?"  
"What?"  
"Stop changing the subject; you have to tell him. He should know how you feel."  
"I'll tell him when the time is right."  
Andi watched Shalimar walked into the living room, pick up the controls and switch over the channel. Brennan and Jesse stopped wrestling and looked at her. Brennan shook his head and got up to sit beside her. Andi's eyes shifted to Jesse. What if Shalimar was right? She did feel something for Jesse, but was it love? Did he feel the same? Jesse looked up and caught her eye. He smiled and beckoned her in, and she smiled back and flopped onto the chair beside him.

* * *

"What we got?" Brennan asked, standing behind Adam.   
"A message from a possible refugee from Genomex." Adam replied, "Go and check it out. Josh and I will work on the message from here."  
"Come on." Brennan led the way onto the Helix.  
Soon they were up over the city.   
"What are we looking for?" Andi asked.   
"A warehouse." Emma replied.   
"A warehouse." Shalimar muttered, "It's always a damn warehouse."   
Jesse looked at Shalimar, smiled and pushed the throttle forwards.   
Eventually they found the warehouse, and set the Helix down on the car park beside it, and placed the invisibility shield over it. They climbed out and cautiously entered the warehouse.  
They had to follow signs along long corridors to get to where they needed to be. "This place is a maze. You realise that if we need to get out quickly we'll have to teleport." Andi said.  
"Why do you think we brought you?" Shalimar grinned.  
Andi smiled slightly, "Well I feel loved."  
Brennan sniggered.   
"But seriously," Andi said, "What I'm saying is that I can't get all of you out at once. I can take two maximum."  
"I'll just phase through a wall, and someone else can come with me." Jesse replied.  
Suddenly the corridors stopped and they were in a large, open room. Andi glanced around, taking in her surroundings. She closed her eyes and reached out… she frowned; there were five or six people, all with AK47s. Movement above her caught her attention and then a commanding voice sounded, from a dark corner of the balcony overhead, "Step forward into the light."  
They slowly and warily did so. The voice continued, "I see you have failed to bring Joshua with you. Mores the pity."  
Andi spoke up, "Why do you want Josh?"  
"Do not question me. As you have not brought Josh, I have no use for you."  
Realisation dawned on Andi before she saw the bomb, "It's a trap… get out. IT'S A TRAP!" She grabbed Emma and Shalimar's arms and teleported them out. Jesse pulled Brennan to the nearest wall, and began to phase.

* * *

On the outside, Andi stood up and looked about frantically. Time seemed to slow as she waited. "Come on, come on…" she murmured.  
Suddenly Brennan appeared through the wall with Jesse's arm around his neck, just as the building exploded. They were thrown forward onto the ground. Shalimar rushed to Brennan's side and pulled him up, while Andi rushed to Jesse's.  
Brennan pushed Shalimar towards Jesse, "He was losing strength as we came through. That explosion might have been too much for his body."  
Andi rolled Jesse over, "Jesse? Jesse?" Jesse lay unconscious on the ground. "Jesse, wake up. Come on, wake up."   
Shalimar pulled Andi back and Brennan lifted Jesse's limp form, "We gotta' get him back to the Sanctuary."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**   
  
"What happened?" Adam pulled a book off the medical room bed.   
"It was a trap." Brennan set Jesse's limp form down, "They had a bomb. Andi teleported Shal and Emma out, and Jesse phased through the walls. We got out just as the place exploded. The explosion threw us forward and next thing, Jesse's unconscious."  
Adam took Jesse's pulse and began to connect wires to him.   
"What's wrong?" Josh entered from the control room.  
In one swift movement Andi had crossed the room, grabbed Josh by his shirt and slammed him against the nearest wall. "What the hell?" Josh looked amazed.  
"You set us up, you son of a bitch!" Andi yelled.   
"What are you talking about?" Josh asked, trying to break free. Brennan crossed the room and pulled her back, holding her arms tightly.  
"Who were they, huh? How did they know you?" Andi yelled, "Were you sent to kill me? To kill Mutant X? Well?"  
"Andi," Adam said calmly, "It couldn't have been him. It was Genomex, you know that."   
"Yeah, but they asked for Josh. Josh worked at Genomex." Emma explained.  
Realisation dawned on Josh's face, "Oh God."  
"What?" Andi tried to break free of Brennan's grasp, "What do you mean oh god?"  
Josh hung his head, "My father."   
"What?" Shalimar asked, speaking for the first time since Jesse had been knocked unconscious as her eyes flashed dangerously.   
"My father…" Josh answered, "He's a scientist at Genomex."   
"Why didn't you tell us this? No, forget that, why would he want you back if you'd helped one of the mutants escaped?" Adam asked, gesturing towards Andi.   
"He knows it was me who freed Andi. He knows I hate his work- I always have. Lately Eckhart has been… putting him down… threatening him with redundancy if he doesn't provide better results from his research. My freeing mutants would be the last straw for Eckhart, and Eckhart would fire him. But my father probably struck a deal with Eckhart…" Josh thought carefully, "He probably told Eckhart, that if Eckhart didn't fire him… he would find me… and provide Eckhart with the key members of Mutant X."  
"But how could your father know you're with us?" Adam asked.   
"He wouldn't," Josh replied, "But it would be an educated guess. I had been asking about Mutant X for a while. And if I wasn't with you, it would be a bluff."  
"And Jess could die because of him!" Andi cried.   
"Jesse will be fine." Adam placed a hand on her shoulder and signalled for Brennan to let go, "He'll be awake in a few days, if not tomorrow."  
Andi looked around at every one, took another look at Jesse and ran out of the room.

* * *

"Andi, can I come in?" Emma's head poked round the door. Andi sat cross-legged on the middle of the bed, her arms around a pillow.  
Emma sat down on the edge of the bed, "Are you okay?" Andi sniffed and nodded. Emma placed a hand on Andi's hand, "What's wrong?"  
"It's something Shalimar said." Andi said quietly, "And I'm afraid she might be right."  
"What did Shal say?"  
"She said that it was obvious that Jesse and I liked each other… a lot."  
"I'd said love is a more accurate word."  
"You think she's right?"  
"Andi, I'm a telempath and I have never felt feelings as strong from Jesse like the feelings he has for you. And I can feel you too. You want to let him in, but something's stopping you. What is it?"  
Andi stood up, "Em, you saw me in there. I couldn't control myself. I lost it because I thought Josh might have had something to do with Jesse's getting hurt."  
"And it's natural to feel angry and protective."  
"That wasn't anger; that was pure rage. What if someone hurts Jesse when we're out? What if I lose control? Can I be trusted not to screw everything up?"  
Emma pulled Andi back onto the bed, "Andi, you need to tell him how you feel. If you don't it'll just stay pent up inside you, until you _do_ lose control and 'rage'."  
"Oh yeah it's gonna' be easy, him being unconscious and all."  
"Andi, you're gonna' have to tell him eventually." She got up to leave, "Adam says you can go see him if you want."

* * *

"Can I come in?" Andi stood at the doorway to the med room. Adam looked up from monitor beside Jesse's bed and nodded.  
"Adam, look," Andi began, "I'm really sorry. My anger got the better of me. I didn't mean to-"  
"Don't worry about it," Adam said, cutting her off, "We all make mistakes. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to check something on the computer."  
"But you have a computer there…" Andi started, but he was gone. She frowned, shook her head and sat down beside the bed.  
She opened her mouth a few times as thought trying to say something. Eventually she slipped her hand into his and began, speaking as quickly as possibly to get it all it… "Look Jesse, I know you can't hear me but I have to tell you before it drives me mad. I like you. I mean really like you. Emma says that it's love… I don't know. All I know is that as you lay unconscious all I wanted to do was kill Josh. I was so worried; it felt like a bullet ripping through me. I keep thinking of you; I can't sleep. I just… I needed to tell you. I love you." Nicci leant over and kissed his forehead, "I just wanted you to know, but I guess you never will."

* * *

_ "Look Jesse, I know you can't hear me but I have to tell you before it drives me mad. I like you. I mean really like you. Emma says that it's love… I don't know. All I know is that as you lay unconscious all I wanted to do was kill Josh. I was so worried; it felt like a bullet ripping through me. I keep thinking of you; I can't sleep. I just… I needed to tell you. I love you._ _I just wanted you to know, but I guess you never will." _  
Jesse tried to respond, but his body and mind wouldn't let him. He wanted to tell her that he **could **hear her and he felt the same way, but nothing worked. He just lay there, in darkness.

* * *

"Okay, here goes…" Emma touched Jesse's temple, closed her eyes and concentrated. The rest watched her. After a while she stopped, "Nope, it's no good. He won't let me in."  
"He won't let you in?" Shalimar asked, "How is that possible?"  
"His mind won't let me enter." Emma explained, "Only willing minds can let me in. It could there's something in there he doesn't want me to know about… a feeling that his subconscious is shielding from everyone."  
Adam flipped a few pages on his chart. A minute later he sighed, "Fine… Andi try telepathy."  
Andi sat up, "What? It's not safe, you know that. My powers aren't fully developed."  
"Don't worry," Emma took her hand, "I'll weigh you down. You won't lose control as long as we're connected."  
Andi sat beside Jesse, and lifted his hand. As Andi intertwined her and Jesse's fingers, Emma touched Andi's temple.   
"Ready?" Andi asked. Emma nodded and they both shut their eyes.

_Jesse? Jesse, can you hear me? _Andi found herself in a large, white, empty room, surrounded by folders. She lifted one up and opened it. What appeared to be a TV screen played an image. She saw Emma standing in the middle of a road, and suddenly the image moved closer and Emma was pushed off the road. The image changed to that of a car, which the 'camera' passed right through.  
_That's the first time I met Emma. _Andi looked at Jesse.   
_You have this in your head? That's just weird. _Andi said.  
_Why is it weird?_  
_Because they're all folders._  
_To you they're folders, to me they're memories._  
_Well, you need to do some cleaning up. Get a file cabinet or something._  
_Is there something you wanted?_  
_Yeah, bossman wants you out._  
_Bossman?_  
_Adam. Look, we need you. Its bad enough being down one mutant, but the worry is driving us insane._  
_Us?_  
_Well mainly me, but that's not the point._  
_Andi?_Emma's voice sounded, _I can't keep up this connection. You need to get out._  
Andi turned back to Jesse, _Come out with me?_  
_I'll be out soon; I've got some stuff I want to… do. Tell the others not to worry._  
_I'll be there when you wake._

* * *

"I think he's waking up…"  
"Go get Adam."  
"Sshh! You'll wake Andi up."  
"Good, she should be awake."  
"I was already awake you losers."  
"Well get up, Jesse's waking up."  
"Jesse? Jesse, can you hear me?"  
"Ugh, bright light!" Jesse held up a hand to shield his eyes.   
"Jesse, can you hear me?" Adam leaned over him.   
"Loud and clear, boss man." Jesse replied.   
"Boss man?"  
"Ugh, sorry. I think I have a little bit of residual 'Andiness' from when she was in my head." Jesse sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the bed.  
"You remember that? We thought you couldn't hear anything?" Shalimar said.   
"No, I heard _everything_." he replied, looking pointedly at Andi.   
"Good, at least we know your ears work," Adam said sarcastically, "Right, can you all leave? I need to check Jesse over."  
"A full examination?" Shalimar murmured to Andi, smirking, "I'm sure you'd love to help." Andi gasped, hit Shalimar on the arm and walked out of the room as quickly as possible.   
"You heard _everything_?" Emma asked Jesse.  
Jesse nodded, "Yeah, I heard it all. Including what Andi said to me about how she… how she felt."  
"What are you going to do about it?"  
"I'm going to tell her the truth."

* * *

Jesse walked into the living room, where Emma, Josh, Brennan and Shalimar were assembled. The team had decided that what had happened wasn't Josh's fault, he had been forgiven and he was now devising a plan to help them get into Genomex.  
"Where's Andi?" Jesse asked.   
"In the dojo last time I saw her." Shalimar replied absentmindedly.   
"Thanks." Jesse answered and walked off to the dojo.  
When he got there, Andi was working out. He stopped for a moment, watching her fight invisible opponents. He watched her body move, her muscles expanding and contracting under her vest top and loose bottoms. He unzipped his jacket and set it on the bench. He walked to behind her and waited. Suddenly she turned around and he blocked her fist. She stumbled back surprised.   
"You weren't prepared for that. You must be aware of all around you and be ready to take on anything that's thrown at you from anywhere. You need to adapt your stances to prepare for attacks from all around." Jesse said. He twisted her round, and pushed her body until she was in the proper stance. All the while Andi remained silent.  
Jesse looked at her to check the stance and shook his head, "Your leg should be twisted at an angle." He bent over and ran a hand down her leg.   
"Okay!" Andi broke her silence, and stepped back, "Stop." She walked over to the bench and picked up her water.   
"What's wrong?" Jesse asked as he followed her.   
"I can't do this." she replied.   
"Do what?"  
"This! I can't act like nothing happened. You said yourself that you heard everything, so you must have heard what I told you. You don't even seem to care! Now I'm embarrassed and I won't be able to work with you and-" her words were cut short as Jesse's lips locked over hers.  
She breathed deeply as their embrace broke. "I love you too," Jesse whispered, "I've loved you since the moment you fell into my arms up in that mountain top." He kissed her again, "I love everything about you. Your eyes, your smile, and the way your hair moves when you're fighting. I even love your stubbornness and independence. But most of all I love the way I could sit with you for hours… just talking. I could talk all night just to hear you breath."  
Andi slipped her arms around his neck, and pulled him in for another passionate embrace.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

            Jesse slipped his arm around Nicci's waist and kissed her cheek. To him, she was the most beautiful being in the world, especially when she slept. She looked so peaceful and serene.

            He slid out of bed and pulled on a pair of black bottoms. He looked at her once more and slipped out the door to wards the bathroom.

            Just as he stepped out of the room into the hall, Brennan walked around the corner. Brennan smirked, "I see you finally got some." "Sshh!" Jesse whispered, "For your information, I haven't 'got some' yet. Nicci says she isn't ready, so I'm respecting that."

"Then what are you doing sneaking out of her room in the middle of the night. It's like you've snuck into her house and are sneaking out before her dad catches you."

"We're sleeping in the same bed, that's all. We're not having sex."

"So you're sleeping with her, but you're not _sleeping with her."_

"Yeah, something like that."

            Brennan continued towards the kitchen and pulled out two bottles of water. He threw one to Jesse, who sat down and began to unscrew the lid.

            "So you and Nicci." Brennan said after he'd gulped down half the bottle. Jesse smiled, "Yeah… me and Nicci."

"Do you think it'll work?"

"What?"

"Well, given your history. Jesse, you have a track record for short relationships."

"This one is special. She's special. There's something about her. Brennan, I have never felt this way about anyone. No matter what's happening she makes me feel great; like I can do anything. She looks so small and helpless, but she's so strong and powerful. She overpowered both me and Emma yesterday."

"She's a fireball all right. The only person she can't seem to beat it Shalimar."

"Shal will always be the strongest. And speaking of Shal, when are you two going to stop stalling?"

"What?"

"When are you guys going to get it together?"

"I don't-"

"Brennan, it's obvious you like her. I don't know about her, but you should definitely give it a go."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yeah, okay." Jesse lifted his bottle and stood up, "Just think about it. Goodnight Brennan."

"Goodnight." Brennan replied distractedly, lost in his own thoughts. Jesse smiled and went back to bed.

*          *          *

            Nicci pulled a screwdriver from the toolbox and rolled under the control units in the Helix. She began to unscrew a panel and looked at the circuit board underneath. "Or above, whatever you look at it." She murmured, laughing at her own joke.

            "What are you laughing at?" Jesse crouched down and tickled her bare stomach. Nicci batted his hand away, "Nothing. Pass me the goggles, solder & soldering iron."

Jesse did as he was told, "What's wrong with it?"

She put the goggles on, "One of the wires seems to have disconnected the landing controls from the main circuit board. Which is why you couldn't seem to hold it yesterday."

            Jesse nodded, "Yeah, okay. By the way, you look great in those goggles." His eyes twinkled mischievously.

            "Shut up," Nicci replied, "Oh for…" She slid out from underneath and pulled off the goggles.

"What's wrong?"

            "Burnt it." Nicci shook her hand and sucked on one of her fingers. Jesse took the finger out of her mouth and looked at it, "What have I told you about wearing gloves with that?"

            "Yeah, yeah." Nicci replied. Jesse led her out and into the kitchen. He turned on a tap and placed her finger underneath it. After a second, Jesse rubbed at his ear, "Can you stop breathing on my ear; it's irritating."

            Nicci smiled and blow on his ear on purpose. Jesse turned the water off and glared at her. She blew again. He grabbed her around the waist and pulled her towards him for a passionate kiss.

            Nicci smiled, "Maybe I should get hurt more often." Jesse shook his head, "Don't say that."

"Why?"

"Because I can't bear the thought of anything happening to you."

"Nothings going to happen to me. I'm fine. I just enjoy those kisses."

"But it's like tempting fate."

"Jesse?"

"Yeah?"

"Shut up." Nicci kissed him again, "Let's get back to work."

*          *          *

Nicci grabbed the doorframe and swung half her body into the living room, "Hey guys, anyone seen Emma?"

She stopped as she did a head count. There were five people in the room, but Emma wasn't one of them. Instead, sitting beside him, was Brennan's pride & joy.

"Hey squirt," she leaned over and ruffled Connor's hair, "When did you get here?"

"Hey," Connor smiled back at her, "A couple of hours ago. You and Jesse were working on the… what do you call it… the um… aeroplane type thing… um…"

Shalimar smiled, "The Helix."

"That's it; the Helix. You and Jesse were working on the Helix." Connor smiled sweetly.

"And how is it possible that I didn't know you were here? Jesse, you must have seen him at some point."

"Yep." 

"And why didn't you tell me?" Nicci went to punch Jesse playfully on the shoulder, but he grabbed her wrist and pulled her down onto his lap.

"Because," Jesse ran his hand up her thigh to her hip, "You were in the shower and I went in right after you. If you had have let me shower with you-"

            Nicci clamped a hand over his mouth and feigned shock, "Jesse Kilmartin! There is a child present!" She winked mischievously at Connor and kissed Jesse's lips, "But I gotta go find Emma, I need to ask her something."

*          *          *

Nicci wandered into the kitchen to find Emma sitting on a stool, her head in her hands.

"Em? Are you okay?"

            Emma looked up, tears in her eyes. Nicci didn't need to enter Emma's head to know why she was upset. "Oh God, Emma." Nicci rushed over and put her arms around her, "When?"

            "This morning," Emma whispered, "He left this." She handed Nicci a tear-soaked letter.

            Nicci read it aloud, "Dear Emma, I hate to end things this way, but I don't think I could have born your reaction. For weeks now nothing's been right. It's obvious that Adam and the rest don't trust me, not even Nicci. And sometimes even you don't seem to trust me. You used to confide in me, but now you're never near. But that might be because you don't love me anymore. I don't think you ever loved me. Even when we started dating, I knew your heart wasn't there, wasn't with me. It was somewhere else. But that doesn't matter anymore. I'm going to do what I should have done years ago. Tell everyone that I'm sorry for what happened. Tell Nicci I never meant for her or anyone else to get hurt, all I wanted to do was help you all and I'm sorry. And that's it. That's all I have left. But you need to know that I loved you, until the end. All my love, Josh."

            Nicci looked up at Emma, "Em, I'm sorry. I know you loved him, he obviously thought you had a change of heart. It was my fault, I shouldn't have treated him the way I did after Jesse's accident."

"No, that's just it. He was right. It was the one thing I could keep hidden, even from you. I didn't love him. I loved someone else." Emma bowed her head and whispered, "I still do."

            Suddenly Nicci felt a pain flash through her head and she saw an image. An image of a man she knew only to well. Emma was telling her who it was she loved. Nicci gasped and looked at Emma, "Are you serious?"

"I know what you're going to say. I've been telling myself the same things, but…"

"No, I think its right. I think you two should be together, no matter what effect it has on others."

            Emma wrapped her arms around Nicci's neck and began to cry. Nicci slipped her arms around Emma's waist and cradled her like a child.

            "Guys, we have a problem," Brennan said as he and Jesse entered, "God, Em are you okay?"

"She's fine," Nicci told them, "Now what's this problem?"

            "Apparently there's been a security breach at Genomex," Jesse told her, "Either someone is breaking in or breaking out. Either way, Adam wants us to check it out."

            Emma's head had shot up while Jesse talked and she and Nicci looked at each other, saying in unison, "Josh."

"What?" Brennan asked.

"Come on," Nicci grabbed Jesse's wrist and sprinted towards the Helix.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N- hey guys, sorry it took so long for this but I've finally got everything sorted and it's all back on track. I'm updating stories all over the joint.

Well, we're back. The next chapter- I hope you all enjoy it. It's almost time for the end of this fiction, but don't worry- I have another one in the pipeline. Enjoy it guys!!

**Chapter 5**

Jesse stepped through the wire fence to the inside of the Genomex complex. Brennan looked at him and then pointed to the top of the building. Nicci was crouched upon the roof, waiting for her signal.

"Where are Shal & Emma?" Jesse spoke into his com-ring, still watching the silhouette figure above them.

"They're inside," Nicci's voice came back through, "I left them just inside the cargo access."

"Right…" Jesse nodded at Brennan who peered around the corner of a truck.

The team waited.

Brennan raised his arm…

…and dropped it. "Go." Jesse prepared to run.

Atop of the building, Nicci stood straight and started to run across to the side. "Come on…" she murmured, "Come on…" She front flipped off the edge and landed on a truck.

All hell broke loose.

Lights landed on Nicci, sirens rang and guards rang towards her. She jumped off the truck and punched the nearest guard square in the face. She kicked and flipped away, trying to avoid the gunfire.

"Don't kill anyone…" Jesse's voice came through her com-ring.

"I'm trying," she replied, "But I'm trying to keep myself alive too."

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Brennan and Jesse slip through the cargo door. "Now!" Brennan called her.

She stopped and smiled at the guards, "Bye boys."

She disappeared.

*          *          *

"God, where are they?" Shalimar crouched behind a large metal box in the cargo bay.

"They're coming," Emma whispered back, "Just hang on."

They waited in silence. Then… the sirens went off. "That's our cue." Emma said, jumping up.

Shalimar kicked the nearest person and swung round to face her next opponent. Emma ran to the cargo door and pulled the anti-mutant switch, turning off the current. "Come on guys…" she murmured. Someone grabbed her and she swung round, punching them hard.

Shalimar ran up on to a block, kicked the gun out of a guard's hand and then knocked him unconscious. She landed on the floor just as Jesse and Brennan appeared through the door. Moments later Nicci appeared.

"Okay, so are we going or what?" Nicci led the way up the staircase out of the bay.

*          *          *

            Nicci pulled her head back as guards ran past. She pretended to show Jesse something on a chart.

"They're gone." Jesse murmured.

"Ugh… why am I wearing this?" She tugged at her white coat.

"Because you have to get into Josh's cell. If you get caught, you can easily teleport."

Nicci sighed and pushed her 'glasses' up onto her nose, "Fine." She kissed him, "Don't get hurt."

"Yeah…"

They separated, going different directions down the hall. Nicci held her head up, trying to look as though she belonged.

She stopped halfway down the hall and looked about, "Uh-oh…"

"Up the stairs…" Adam's voice rang in her ear.

"Thanks," she whispered back.

She ascended, trying to keep her face covered as much as possible when a number of men passed. Reaching the top she peaked round the corner, looking left and right. 

"Left…" the voice sounded again. 

She turned left and slowly walked. Another group of guards ran past. "What is the deal with all these guards?" she murmured.

"The whole place is on alert. It's not everyday you get two break-ins…" Adam explained in her ear-piece, "and they haven't caught you yet."

"Oh yeah…" Nicci grinned.

A doctor walked down the hall towards her, and she tried to look inconspicuous. She was almost past when he spoke.

"Ah, doctor…" he looked at her badge, "Doctor Whitford. Would you have a copy of yesterday's report on that chart?"

"Sorry, no. I must have left it in my locker." Nicci replied.

"Are you new here?"

"Ah, yes. Eckhart assigned me two days ago."

"Where are you going?"

"I'm bringing Josh Harding's chart to the cells."

"Let me see that!"

"I'm sorry, it's classified."

"Classified, my ass! That's my son's chart!"

Nicci froze, but she managed to compose herself in time, "I'm sorry, but I'm not allowed to show it to anyone else. You'll have to bring it up with Eckhart."

"Believe me, I intend to." With that he stormed off.

            Nicci watched him go and waited until he was out of earshot. "Okay guys," she spoke into her com-ring, "we need to move faster. Eckhart's about to know we're here for Josh."

"How the hell did that happen?" Shal's voice came back.

"It's a long story. Just move it." Nicci quickened her pace and finally reached the cells. She held up her badge to the guard and he let her through. "I have to give some medication to Josh Harding."

The guard smirked and buzzed her through, "Go ahead."

Nicci stopped, the look in his eyes worrying her. She moved quickly and entered Josh's padded cell. Her eyes widened in horror. He was strapped to a table, with various tubes in his body. She dropped her chart, rushed to his side and called to him, "Josh! Josh, can you hear me?" His eyes slowly opened and looked at her, pleading for help. She hurriedly pulled her coat off and began to slowly pull out needles from his arms. She removed his mask and pulled him into a sitting position. She made ready to lift him, "Guys, we gotta' go…" There was no answer, "Guys… guys??" Josh looked up and then tried to say something.

Everything went black.

*          *          *

Nicci slowly opened her eyes, bright lights making her blink. She was tied to a chair, a table just in front of her.

"It seems sleeping beauty is awake." An all too familiar voice spoke and she was pulled from her grogginess. 

She stared straight into the face she knew so well, "Mason Eckhart."

"Nicola Walken. I wouldn't try using your powers if I were you. We have you connected up so that if you try using any of them, you'll feel a _lot_ of pain. You didn't think you'd see me again, let alone be caught by me, did you?"

She glared at him, "Oh, I knew I'd see you again. To kick your ass."

Eckhart smiled, "Still as fiery as ever I see." He leaned over the table, "But does the smart-mouth stop?"

"Not a chance in hell."

"Really? Not even when I show you this?" he signalled to a guard.

Emma's limp form was carried in.

"Emma…" Nicci cried, struggling to get out of her chair.

"Or what about this?" Brennan's body was dragged in and thrown to the ground.

"Maybe this…" Shalimar was pushed in, bound and gagged, and looking like she had taken a beating.

"Jesus…" Nicci whispered, her eyes slowly filling.

"How about this?" Eckhart smiled sadistically at her. She turned her head away, not wanting to see the next form. A guard grabbed her hair and pulled her round. She looked at Jesse, shackled to an upturned table, blood dripping from his hair replacing her image of the water from that night they'd got caught in the storm.

"After so long, and it was you… you who finally gave me the Mutant X team." Eckhart told her.

"I didn't give you the team. There are more…" Nicci spat at him.

"Of course… Adam… so much more…" he sneered condescendingly.

"No… there are far more. There are more like us, who will rise against you and take control!"

"Oh, really… and what if I wanted to know where I could find these mutants?"

"You could keep wanting…"

Eckhart signal to a guard, who dragged a semi-conscious Brennan off the floor and to his feet. "But I want to know NOW!" At the word 'now' a guard punched Brennan in the stomach. Brennan cried out in pain.

"Brennan!" Nicci yelled.

Eckhart raised his hand and Brennan was dropped to the floor. "Are you going to tell me?" Nicci glared at him. "Fine…" he nodded at another guard and suddenly Shalimar and Emma were lifted high into the air. Nicci looked around wildly for the telekinetic. When she spotted him she locked onto him and tried to use her telekinetic powers to stop him. Suddenly she felt a jolt run through her and she screamed out. Shalimar and Emma hit the floor.

"I told you not to use your powers." Eckhart sighed and stood up, "This could go on for a while, but I'm getting bored so… are you going to tell me or not?"

"Nicci, don't say anything!" Jesse cried out. His eyes locked with hers and she tried to fight the tears.

"You know what will happen if you don't tell me this time?"

Nicci nodded.

"Then tell me…"

Nicci took a deep breath and sat forward. Eckhart leaned down towards her and she opened her mouth, "Go… to… HELL!"

Nicci squeezed her eyes shut as the guards began to punch Jesse continuously. She could hear every thud, every wracked breath he took, every grunt of pain and she held back, knowing that she had to keep her mouth shut.

            Finally Eckhart signalled for them to stop and Nicci opened her eyes. "You have resilience…" Eckhart said, "I had thought that doing this would have made you talk, instead of the usual way of my guards beating you… but apparently not." He paced backwards and forwards. He stopped and looked at her, "But thankfully, we have something else."

He lifted something off the table and pressed a button on it. A TV screen slid down from the ceiling. He pressed another button and a photograph appeared on the screen, "Do you know this girl?"

The girl was about 16 years old, had long brown hair and deep brown eyes. There was something vaguely familiar about those eyes.

"Perhaps you would like to look in the mirror?"

A guard pulled a mirror round to her and she saw those eyes again. "But that's not a picture of me. I couldn't have had a picture taken of me then…" her eyes narrowed, "I was in Boston, hiding from you."

"That's right. But someone else has those eyes. Someone you used to know very well. Perhaps you would recognise her if you saw a younger photo."

The picture changed and Nicci knew who it was immediately. "Eliza Walken, better known as Lizzy." Eckhart said. He pressed a button back to the original photograph. "This is what she looks like now. A 16 year old on picture day in school. You see, I know what school she goes to, I know her friends and I know where she likes to go with her friends…"

Nicci took a deep breath, "So? She'd be of no use to you, after you had the information out of me."

"See, that's where you're wrong…" a video played on the screen, "There's your sister… and there's her fighting off some of my men… and there's her using her teleportation powers… You see, it turns out she's a mutant too. It just took longer for her to develop."

Eckhart switched the screen off and it slid back into the roof.

"Why are you showing me this?" Nicci asked.

"Because if you don't tell me where I can find the other mutants, I'll kill you, the rest of the Mutant X team, find her and kill her,"

"You don't know where she is…" Nicci murmured.

Eckhart didn't hear her, "and then find the hidden and use them to kill Adam."

"You don't know where she is… she's got out…" Nicci said again.

"Of course, I know where she is… I just told you…" Eckhart said, his brow furrowing.

"No… you just said find her and kill her… you don't know…"

Eckhart slammed his hands on the table and threatened, "I'll find her… and I'll use her to kill your friends and Adam… and I'll take her powers… and then I'll kill her…"

Nicci glared at him.

"I'll beat her until she is too weak to move…"

Rage simmered…

"I'll subject her to torture…"

Rage bubbled…

"I'll make her an example to others…"

Rage boiled…

"And then I'll make her death as agonizingly slow as possible… and you won't be able to do anything to stop it…"

Rage blew…

Nicci started to concentrate…

"Sir…"

"What is it?"

"I think you should look at this…"

Pain ripped through her body and she screamed, fighting it as hard as she could. "Come on Nicci… Come on…" a now conscious Emma murmured. She glanced round at Shalimar, who nodded at her. Emma slowly pulled out a pen-knife and flicked it open. 

Nicci disappeared. Emma cut Shalimar's bonds and pulled the gag off. Nicci reappeared beside Jesse and ripped the shackles apart. Emma stopped to stare at the strength Nicci now possessed. Too long… she was tackled to the ground by a guard.

Brennan pulled the guard off her and punched him.

"You need to concentrate…" he told her pulling her to her feet.

"Thanks," she said, before jumping a guard.

Nicci helped Jesse off the table, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he told her. He mustered all the strength he had left and launched his attack on the guards of Genomex. Soon the five were fighting as one, united for all free mutants against Genomex.

A/N- this may seem like the end but it's not. There's definitely more to come. But it is a good ending line, isn't it? I might use it again…


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: this is it guys. The final chapter. Don't expect it to be all happiness because believe me- it won't be. Big thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed. Your encouragement helped! I know a lot of you won't like the way it ended, but there is a sequel in the pipeline, i.e. my head.

Note: play something sad while you read this. I recommend 'Stigmatized' by The Calling or 'Angel' by Sarah Mc Lachlan. Don't worry about the lyrics- just have that type of music pulling in the background. Enjoy it guys!

**Chapter 6**        

Jesse stood in the doorway of Nicci's room, watching her pack her bag. "You're really going…" he said, after a few silent minutes.

Nicci sighed, stood up straight and turned to face him, "Yes, I'm really going."

She turned back to her backpack.

"I don't want you to go." he murmured.

"Jesse, we've been through this. I have to."

"But why?"

"Will you listen to yourself? You sound like a child."

"But can't you send someone?"

"Jesse, this is my sister!" Nicci turned to him, her exasperation clear on her face, "I am not about to let someone else do this! I can't trust anyone else to get there first. This way, if she's… if she's in trouble I'll only have myself to blame."

"But why alone? You know we'll help."

"NO!" Nicci threw her purse onto the bed as she moved around her room, "I need to do this myself."

"But Nicci-" Jesse began.

"Look Jesse…" Nicci turned to face him, "I'm going, and nothing you, or anyone else, can say is going to change that!"

Jesse turned and stormed out of the room and Nicci dropped onto the bed.

"Hey babes," Emma poked her head around the door, "Can I come in?" She walked into the room and dropped onto the bed without waiting for an answer. She watched Nicci for a while. "You almost ready?" she asked.

"Yeah, I think I have nearly everything." Nicci walked over and sat on the bed beside Emma, crossing her legs beneath her.

"I'm going to miss you…" Emma said eventually.

"Oh, don't get all teary-eyed!" Nicci joked.

"I'm serious… I'll miss you."

"I know... but it won't be for long… and I'll talk to you all the time…"

They sat in silence until Nicci spoke again, "I'm gonna' miss all of you, especially you and Shal."

Emma laughed, "The Three Musketeers…"

"Huh?" Nicci looked at her puzzled.

"It's nothing. It's just… Brennan has suddenly taken to calling us the 'The Three Musketeers."

Nicci laughed, "Yeah… I get it."

Silence fell again. "I'm gonna' leave you to pack," Emma got up and walked to the door, "Remember to say goodbye to everyone."

"I will…" Nicci replied as she left, "… I will." She stood up and finished pushing her stuff into her backpack. She swung it onto her shoulder and looked around the room. The photographs stuck on the wall caught her attention. She walked over and looked at them. Reaching up, she pulled three off. 

The first: the whole group; Adam too.

The second: Shalimar, Nicci and Emma posing in the living room. Nicci smiled and muttered, "Three Musketeers."

She walked out of the room.

*          *          *

            Nicci shifted her bag on her shoulder, took a deep breath and walked out into the wide garage. They were all there, waiting in silence; all except Jesse.

"Brennan," she stepped up to him and hugged him, "Tell squirt I'll miss him and I'll see him again soon." She released him and held his arms, murmuring, "Tell her."

"Yeah, I will…" he kissed her on the cheek, "I promise. I'll see you again soon."

            She turned to Emma and Shalimar. They looked at each other until Nicci stretched her arms out, "Come here." They embraced and drew back, Emma's eyes beginning to water.

"Don't start!" Nicci exclaimed, "You'll start me off!"

"I know…" Emma replied.

"Look, I'll be back… I promise."

"We know," Shalimar told her, "We'll just miss you. What goods the Three Musketeer's with only two."

Nicci smiled, "I'll come back for a visit in six months if I haven't found her by then."

Shalimar smiled and nodded.

"Oh come here Shal," Nicci pulled them both back in.

            Releasing them she walked to Adam, "Adam, you've given me everything I wanted. A home… a family. I feel safe here. Thank you for that."

Adam pulled her into a hug, "Just find her. Make her safe… give her the home she needs, the family she needs."

Nicci kissed him on the cheek and stepped back to look at them. She looked at the empty space beside Adam until Josh gently touched her arm, "We gotta go." Nicci nodded and, biting her lip, turned away.

            She was halfway to her motorbike when she heard his voice, "WAIT!" She turned back to see him running to her.

"I've gotta ask you once more," he said, "Please don't go."

"Jesse…" Nicci began.

"I know, I know… you have to." He ran his hand over her cheek, "I'll miss you."

Nicci slid her hand round his neck and pulled him down to her height. They kissed as though they never wanted to part. Finally she released. "Goodbye Jesse," she whispered.

She turned, climbed onto her bike and tugged her helmet on. With one look back, she and Josh sped out through the entrance.

The team watched them go and, after a few seconds, Brennan walked over to Shalimar, slipped a comforting arm around her shoulders and whispered, "I need to talk to you when you're ready."

Adam put his arm on Emma's shoulder, "Are you okay?"

She nodded, her eyes never leaving Jesse, waiting for his reaction.

Adam walked back into the sanctuary.

Emma walked to Jesse and placed a hand on his back, "Jesse?"

He shook his head, "Yeah…"

"Come inside."

"Yeah."

He walked to the doorway and, hitting the close button, watched the garage entrance sliding shut, sealing off the sanctuary.

*          *          *

When they reached the outside of the city, Nicci stopped and pulled something out of her bag.

"What is it?" Josh asked, when he'd come back.

"Nothing…" Nicci ran her fingers over a photograph, "Nothing, I just wanted to look at this."

"Let's go." Josh revved up.

They sped off towards the border.

The third photograph: Nicci and Jesse snuggled up on the sofa watching a horror movie together.


End file.
